Inductive score device

ABSTRACT

An inductive score device comprises a casing, a cantilever, a resilient member, and a photoelectric element, wherein the cantilever is rotatable and normally held horizontally in the casing by taking advantage of the resilient member and a counterbalance mechanism, and is depressible downwardly by an external force and restorable by the resilient member every time the external force is removed. When the cantilever is moved downwardly, an interruption piece thereof will interrupt the light route of the photoelectric element to change the state thereof and trigger the score device to count automatically.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to an inductive score device, particularly to a score device that counts score by taking advantage of a transverse lever, which is employed to interrupt the emission route of a photoelectric element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Some people have built a basket frame at their backyards or vacant lots for playing basketball game or free throws, and for enhancing enjoyment, an automatic inductive score device is usually provided for scoring the valid basketballs.

[0003] A conventional inductive score device for counting valid basketballs shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a microswitch combined with a cantilever 11 mounted under the basket hoop ring. When a ball enters the hoop ring, the cantilever 11 is forced down to impact and turn the microswitch 12 “ON” to thereby trigger a counting device (not shown) for scoring, however, the mechanically structured microswitch is liable to get marred sooner or later.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The primary object of this invention is to provide an inductive score device, which is designed to score automatically every time a cantilever is depressed down by an external force, the falling of a basketball for example, to interrupt the light route of a photoelectric element.

[0005] In order to realize abovesaid object, the inductive score device of this invention comprises a casing, a cantilever, a resilient member, and a photoelectric element. The cantilever is rotatable and normally held horizontally in the casing by taking advantage of the resilient member and a counterbalance mechanism, and is depressible downwardly by an external force and restorable by the resilient member every time the external force is removed. When the cantilever is moved downwardly, an interruption piece thereof will interrupt the light route of the photoelectric element to change the state thereof and trigger the score device to count automatically.

[0006] For more detailed information regarding advantages or features of this invention, at least an example of preferred embodiment will be elucidated below with reference to the annexed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The related drawings in connection with the detailed description of this invention to be made later are described briefly as follows, in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a conventional inductive score device using a microswitch;

[0009]FIG. 2 shows an inductive score device of this invention using interruption of a photoelectric element; and

[0010]FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the inductive score device of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a preferred embodiment of inductive score device of this invention comprises a casing 2, a cantilever 3, a resilient member 4, and a photoelectric element 5.

[0012] The cantilever 3 is rotatably mounted in the casing 2. In this case, a shaft base 31 at one end of the cantilever 3 is rotatably jointed with a shaft 21 of the casing 2. The resilient member 4 is disposed above the shaft base 31, wherein one end of the resilient member 4 is fixed at the cantilever 3, the other at the casing 2 such that the resilient member 4 is always pulling the cantilever to rotate counterclockwise.

[0013] For anchoring the resilient member 4 at the cantilever 3 in this case, a hook aperture 41 is formed in the cantilever 3 adjacent to the shaft base 31 such that one end of the resilient member 4 can be fixedly hooked at the cantilever 3. A counterbalance piece 22 is arranged on the casing 2 such that the cantilever 3 is normally held in horizontal under the pulling force of the resilient member 4 and the reaction force of the counterbalance piece 22, and only its far end can be moved downwardly by an external force.

[0014] The photoelectric element 5 is composed of a transmission end 51 and a reception end 52, which are fitted on two lateral faces of the casing 2 respectively. An interruption piece 32 is attached to the shaft base 31 in a manner such that the interruption piece 32 is interposed between the transmission end 51 and the reception end 52 to allow the latter to receive light emitted from the former under normal situation, while the light will be interrupted by the interruption piece 32 when the cantilever 3 is forced down by an external force so that the photoelectric element 5 is turned “ON” from a normal “OFF” state to thereby effect the counting function of every state change from time to time. The inductive score device of this invention is designed to have its cantilever 3 installed under a basket hoop ring such that the cantilever 3 will be depressed to drive the interruption piece 32 to interrupt the light route and trigger the score device to count.

[0015] Regarding the relation between the cantilever 3 and the counterbalance piece 22 under normal horizontal condition in a preferred embodiment of this invention, a groove 23 is formed in the counterbalance piece 22 for engagement with a confront protrusion 33 of the cantilever 3 to hold the cantilever horizontally. As indicated in FIG. 3, the casing 2 of this invention is formed by combining two arc-shaped complementary lateral casing pieces together.

[0016] In the above described, at least one preferred embodiment has been described in detail with reference to the drawings annexed, and it is apparent that numerous variations or modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the claims below. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An inductive score device, comprising: a casing formed by combining two arc-shaped complementary lateral casing pieces, having a shaft and a counterbalance piece; a cantilever having a shaft base rotatably jointed with the shaft of the casing, wherein the shaft base is attached with an interruption piece; a resilient member having fixed one end at the cantilever, another end at the casing such that the resilient member is always pulling the cantilever counterclockwise and by taking advantage of a counterbalance piece on the casing to normally hold the cantilever horizontally when being free of any external force and permit the cantilever to rotate clockwise only; and a photoelectric element disposed on two lateral faces of the casing, wherein one half of the photoelectric element is a transmission end and the other a reception end; whereby the reception end is normally communicable with the transmission end in the case of free of any external force, and when an external force is applied upon the cantilever to move it downwardly, the interruption piece will interrupt the light route of the photoelectric element and change the state thereof to trigger the score device.
 2. The inductive score device according to claim 1, which is mounted on a backboard at a position under the hoop ring.
 3. The inductive score device according to claim 1, wherein a hook aperture is available adjacent to the shaft base for fixing one end of the resilient member.
 4. The inductive score device according to claim 1, wherein a groove is formed in the counterbalance piece for mating with a confront protrusion on the cantilever to hold the cantilever normally horizontally. 